


Newton's Laws of Motion

by venvephe



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Space, Banter, Clubbing, Dancing, First Kiss, Flirting, M/M, Mission Fic, Secret Identity, Spies & Secret Agents, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28682883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/venvephe/pseuds/venvephe
Summary: Three bouncers, fifteen security cameras, seven agents, six-hundred data files, thirty minutes, nine songs, and one glass of Martian rye whiskey.Or: WayV's mission at a Titan nightclub doesn't go exactly as planned, and Ten's surprised to find heat on a moon made of ice.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 40
Kudos: 153
Collections: Challenge #4 — Awaken The World





	Newton's Laws of Motion

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry for A Little Wonder's 4th round: Awaken the World. It probably isn't a surprise to anyone that I adore WayV, and absolutely had to jump at the chance to participate. Also - a fic at or under 3k? Actually quite a challenge for me! I had several false starts before this one, and I'm quite happy with how it ended up. Maybe those other fic ideas, which I just had FAR more I wanted to say than would fit in 3k, will be future works you'll see from me. Sci-fi, y'all. It's just so much fun to play with. This challenge was super interesting and I'm definitely going to be participating in future rounds!
> 
> My heart and then some to my lovely betas-slash-besties m_writes and andreanna, who love sci-fi as much as I do. As always, it's a joy to write and inspire each other and be creative together - this would not be nearly as good as it is without your encouragement and feedback. Y'all are the best!
> 
> Enjoy!

“T-minus two minutes. Everybody ready?”

Ten fiddles with the commlink in his ear, tucking it more securely against his conch piercing. The magnet finally clicks; Ten grins as the light next to his name on Hendery’s screen goes green.

There’s a chorus of agreement in the cruiser. Hendery looks over his shoulder with a huff. “Yangyang, fix your comm. Ninety seconds.”

“C’mere, baby,” Ten leans in, ignoring Yangyang’s attempts to bat him away so that he can fuss with Yangyang’s left ear. _Brat_. It takes only a second, and then Yangyang’s comm connects and his status goes green, too.

“Let’s walk through it again.” Kun crosses his arms, ignoring Yangyang’s groan of _come on, Kun-ge!_

“Hendery and I are staying with the cruiser,” Winwin says, not taking his eyes off the cityscape as they streak through the icy skyscrapers. “You have thirty minutes to infiltrate the club and get out the back door. We’ll be waiting, and then we’ll return to where we docked _the Vision_ in orbit.”

“I’m your eyes and ears,” Hendery continues, seamless. “Kun has the data key for local decryption of the safe. Once it’s in place, it’ll stream the files here -”

“Who even stores shit on a physical data core, nowadays?” Yangyang grumbles.

“- and you can bounce. Four minutes to download what we need, tops. I have the schematics of the club and signals tapped in case shit goes sideways.”

“Hopefully we won’t need it,” Kun muses. “Yangyang and I are on point to make the data extraction. Xuxi is already undercover as a bartender - he’s linked up, right, Hendery?”

“You’re loud and clear, boss.” Even through the comm, Ten can hear Xuxi’s broad grin. “Yo, this place is _dope._ Just wait ‘til you get inside.”

“Almost there,” Winwins says, flicking a switch as they decelerate and pull off the hyperlane, into the nightlife district. As they slow, the blur of light around them materializes into neon signs, flashing billboards, colorful holograms.

Yangyang whistles. “Damn. You sure we can’t stick around once the job is done?”

“Yes,” Kun says emphatically, but the corner of his mouth twitches up into a smile. “Pay attention. Xiaojun, Ten?”

“Recon,” Xiaojun jerks a thumb at himself. “On the main floor, eyes on the guests and the exits.”

Ten leans back in his jump seat, crossing his arms behind his head and giving Kun a smirk. “I’m the ace. I’m whatever you need me to be.”

Kun just rolls his eyes. “You’re recon until I say otherwise. Keep an eye out, make sure the guards we know about are where we expect them to be. I’ll have my hands full with this one.”

“Hey!” Yangyang whines when Kun ruffles his hair - but before he can complain further, Winwin pulls over and the door unseals with a hiss. 

“Time to go,” Winwin says, glancing back at them in the mirror. His eyes are creased with a smile. “See you in thirty.”

Hendery shoots them a thumbs up. “What Winwin means is GHLF: Good Luck, Have Fun!”

“Oh, we’re gonna have _fun_ all right,” Ten says, hooking an arm around Xiaojun’s shoulders as they hop out of the cruiser and onto the freezing sidewalk in front of the club. He didn’t put on this much eyeliner for nothing.

Ten’s been looking forward to this.

The mission isn’t complicated - not for WayV, the best special task unit this side of Ceres. But it’s not every day that their work takes them to Nectar, the hottest club on Titan, with a waitlist half a kilometer long and a VIP price that nearly puts Hendery’s tech budget to shame.

It’s a good thing Xuxi managed to snag them passes, before Kun had to buck up the credits himself. 

“Let’s do this!” Ten shouts, paying no mind to the glares they receive as the four of them stroll past the front of the line and wave their passes to the bouncers. They’re already locked into their roles as club-goers, a little extra swagger in Kun’s step and a giggle on Xiaojun’s lips as he ducks his head, like he’s embarrassed by Ten's bravado.

Like it wasn’t Xiaojun dancing on tables last time WayV _actually_ got to go out and let loose.

“Right,” Kun murmurs as they duck through the main door and into a dimly-lit corridor. “You reconvene with Xuxi, get an update on the op-sit. We’ll spread out, double-check our intel before we head upstairs and - _oh.”_

Ten blinks as they push through a heavy velvet curtain - and _oh_ is right. 

_Fuck._ It’s almost a shame that they’re here for work, and not play. 

The club is all dark angles and neon and glass, matte black bar with chrome-gold edging and underlighting done in warm yellow. One wall shimmers with hexagonal holograms that pulse and ripple to the music, like the surface of water. Every seat at the bar is pristine black leather. Ten can feel the thrum of the music in his _teeth_.

It’s _gorgeous._ Ten wants to bask in it.

“If it’s all the same to you boys, I’m going to get that drink,” Ten says, arm slipping from Xiaojun’s shoulders as he heads for the brightly-lit bar. “Don’t have too much fun, hm? We’re on a schedule.”

“Shouldn’t we be telling you that?” Yangyang calls after him, and Ten flips him off. Their laughter fades as he melts into the crowd.

Ten glances around the club, taking it all in. True to their intel, there’s a discreet staircase at the front and hallway in the back - towards the bathroom and storage rooms. And their exit. It’s a little hard to tell through the throng of bodies, though - _damn_ , is it busy. Ten has to apply his elbows more than once to make himself a space at the bartop.

“Hey, big guy,” he calls to catch Xuxi’s attention. Xuxi finishes pouring something neon green and slides it across the bar before coming to Ten, who leans in like he’s going to flirt. Which he is, more or less. “What’s the op-sit?”

Xuxi shrugs one shoulder, grinning. “As expected. Busy as fuck - no sign of the boss, though. Op should be clean enough. Also, this place is _raking in_ credits. You don’t even wanna know what the price of a beer is.”

“Well, I want _something_ to drink,” Ten smirks. He plays the part, lets his eyes dip to the exposed line of Xuxi’s collarbones. “What d’you have that’ll make a boy feel good?”

“ _Ten_ ,” Kun warns through the comms, and Ten giggles as Hendery stifles a laugh from inside the cruiser. 

“What?” Ten mutters as Xuxi turns away to grab him a glass. “I can’t go to a club and then _not_ order a drink. What kind of shit cover is that?”

“He’s got a point,” Yangyang says, and then makes a muffled grunt - presumably as Kun smacks him in the arm.

“ _One_ drink,” Kun relents. “Keep your wits about you. Twenty-two minutes and counting, kids.”

Twenty-two minutes? Piece of cake, for a team like WayV. And still _plenty_ of time for Ten to have some fun.

So Ten doesn’t waste any time; when Xuxi pushes a whiskey glass with something amber and shimmering gold in his direction, he knocks it back without hesitation. Xuxi raises an eyebrow at him, and Ten just snorts. What? He’s a goddamn professional.

“Thanks, baby,” he says, patting Xuxi’s cheek. The flavor of honey is thick on his tongue, the burn of rye warm in his throat. “I’m gonna go dance.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Xuxi murmurs as Ten pulls away, a crooked smile on his lips - he knows as well as anyone that there’s no sense in telling Ten what to do. Ten blows him a kiss, already slipping through the crowd in the direction of the music.

And oh, does Ten wish he was actually here for this: the beat is a throb he can feel in his bones the closer he gets to the dance floor, something sensual that has him itching to move. It’s layered with powerful vocals that hook under Ten’s ribs, addicting. 

Well, it’s never taken much for Ten to want to dance.

He pushes his way to the center of the dance floor, careful to keep his gaze casual as he scans for anyone that could be a threat. At one point he thinks he sees Xiaojun’s dark hair in the throng, but Ten loses him again. It’s fine; Xiaojun knows how to take care of himself.

“We’re in,” Kun announces over the comms, barely audible over the speakers now that Ten’s lost in the crowd. “Decrypting now - relay set up and ready to receive download, Hendery?”

“Copy - ready to initiate transfer as soon as it’s green.”

“Still clear down here,” Xuxi says. He chuckles over the clink of glassware. “Hey, Winwin - there’s a guy at the other end of the bar that sort of looks like your ex -”

“Oh my god, don’t start,” Winwin groans, “We’re all the way out on _Titan,_ Xuxi -”

“Can we not do this on a secure channel? On an op we have nineteen minutes and counting to complete?”

“Eighteen minutes and forty-three seconds, Kun-ge.”

“ _Liu Yangyang,_ I swear to god -”

Ten tunes out his team with a huff, and starts to dance.

It’s a special kind of multitasking, losing himself in the music - or pretending to, while he stays alert. Ten has long mastered this, and time trickles by as he feels out the rhythm, moving in sync with the hot bodies around him. And Ten knows what he looks like - tight pants that sheen like an oil slick, mesh shirt that leaves little to the imagination.

So it’s not entirely a surprise when a hand curls at his hip and someone slides around to his front, eyebrow quirked in a silent question: _want to dance?_

What _is_ a surprise is the man before him: chin-length blond hair, broad shoulders, tall as all get-out. Earthborn, from the build of him. Artfully ripped denim - expensive, if it’s genuine cotton - spans his thighs, and Ten’s mouth dries at how the fabric of his shirt pulls across his chest.

Okay, so sue him - Ten has a type.

Ten twines his arms around the stranger’s neck, grinning coyly. So what if he has twenty minutes? It’s enough to flirt. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” Ten’s eyelashes nearly flutter at the sensation of two broad hands cradling his hips. _Oh._ “I’m Johnny.”

“Ten.”

There’s already a spark of something between them, Ten can feel it. The magnetic pull only grows as they start to move. 

Johnny can _dance._ He guides them together, effortlessly grinding to the beat. Ten’s heart thuds in his chest at the proximity, at the sensation of Johnny’s strong shoulders under his hands and the muscled thigh has slotted between his own.

“I’ve never seen anyone who can dance like you,” Johnny says, leaning in murmur in Ten’s ear. “Didn’t look like you should be dancing alone.”

The words - or the exhale of breath against his skin - makes Ten shiver. He smirks; Ten loves this part, teasing and flirting. “I haven’t even worked up a _sweat_ , baby.”

“Is that a challenge,” Johnny matches his grin, “or an offer?”

Ten tips his head, curls his fingers in the hair at Johnny’s nape. He still has time. “Which do you want it to be?”

Johnny’s fingers flex on his hips. “Let me see what you’re workin’ with.”

And _oh,_ Ten will.

This is his element - bodies moving together, the heat, the rhythm; Ten loves being an agent, but dance was his first passion. If Johnny wants to see what he can do, Ten’s gonna show him.

It’s just too bad there’s not enough time to turn around, press his back to Johnny’s chest, and _really_ work it.

On a particularly sinful rock of his hips, Ten can’t help but let out something like a groan. _Fuck_ , he hasn’t had this much fun in so long. “Didn’t think you’d be able to keep up.”

“Oh?” 

Ten laughs. “It’s a compliment. I admire your… stamina.”

“You’ve certainly got me beat in _flexibility_ ,” Johnny’s eyes glitter with amusement. _Ugh._ If Ten weren’t on an op he’d already be tugging Johnny away, to somewhere not in the middle of the dance floor, to - 

Johnny licks his lips, dashing Ten’s thoughts. “Haven’t seen you around here before. You from Titan?”

“Just here for a job,” Ten says. He holds in a gasp when Johnny’s hands move to the small of his back, and then to his ass, keeping him close. “You?”

“Here with friends,” Johnny smiles. “Lost track of them somewhere.”

“And then you found me,” Ten smirks, watching as Johnny’s gaze fills with heat.

“And then I found you,” Johnny murmurs back.

He’s still staring up at Johnny, wondering how much of the warmth in his chest is the Martian whiskey, when there’s the catch of static in his ear. “Hey, uh - did that guy Ten is talking to say his name is Johnny?”

Ten can’t respond, of course. He schools his face to stay flirtatious. Thankfully - _maybe_ thankfully - Yangyang responds to Winwin’s question. “Yeah, why?”

Winwin’s laughter is thready, nervous. “Because Hendery and I just checked Xuxi’s vid feed, and that’s _definitely_ my ex. With the pink hair.”

Kun swears loud enough that Yangyang’s mic picks it up. “You mean _your ex_ like _Jung Jaehyun,_ your ex? From the 127th? Fuck, Ten, are you dancing with _Johnny Seo,_ their tactical combat expert?”

Ten’s lips quirk up. Oops. They didn’t exactly exchange full names. 

Maybe it’s a good thing he can’t answer; Kun probably doesn’t want to know that judging from Johnny’s biceps, the answer is yes - _or_ hear Ten’s impulsive joke that he’d happily let Johnny bend him in half either way.

“If Sirius Mitigations sent 127th to scope out Nectar, too -”

“I know, Xuxi, I know,” Kun says. “It means we needed to be out of here twenty minutes ago.”

“Sounds… Sirius.”

“ _Hendery,”_ Winwin groans.

“Hey - download’s finished,” Hendery’s quick to say. “Get the fuck out of there before they see you. Xiaojun, can you create a distraction?”

“Give me two minutes.”

Ten’s stomach sinks. Two minutes - barely enough time to finish this song, let alone steel himself for whatever comes next. 

And what does it say, that part of that is a reluctance to leave Johnny’s arms?

“You’re thinking really loud,” Johnny’s smile is surprisingly soft, warm. Ten finds he likes how much Johnny keeps surprising him. “Is my dancing not good enough to keep your mind on me?”

“On the contrary,” Ten grins. He squeezes Johnny’s shoulders, trying to memorize how well the two of them fit together, the faint scent of Johnny’s cologne. “Just wondering where you’ve been all this time.”

Johnny beams at him. His bangs keep falling into his face; his eyes darken when Ten reaches up to tuck them behind his ear. “I’m here now. It’s just you, me, and the music.”

Ten really wishes that were true. 

“Yeah?” he murmurs, pressing impossibly closer. He feels the flex of Johnny’s abs as he inhales, gaze caught in Ten’s. “And if I want you all to myself?”

“You got me,” Johnny answers. His fingertips skim up Ten’s sides, warm through the mesh shirt, to cradle Ten’s jaw. His pupils are blown wide, and Ten knows his own must be the same. The pull between them is undeniable, like gravity. Johnny’s eyelids slip down, a glance at Ten’s mouth - _oh_ , does Ten _want._

Ten leans in to meet Johnny halfway, so of course that’s when Xiaojun punches the fire alarm.

The crowd shrieks as fire-suppressant foam explodes from the ceiling and rains down, a layer of sudsy surfactant. Ten gets two blissful seconds to enjoy the warmth of Johnny’s full lips and the faint taste of gin before they have to pull apart. He blinks against the foam coating his eyelashes, grinning.

Johnny wipes his face free of foam and laughs. His hair looks just as good slicked back and wet. “Not how I pictured tonight ending.”

Ten bites his lip to keep from smiling too hard. “You didn’t imagine getting covered in white stuff?”

“ _Ten,”_ Johnny snickers.

“Johnny,” Ten teases back. God, he could do this forever - 

But he’s already out of time.

A siren rings out and the crowd rushes for the exits; Johnny pulls him closer, anchors them both against the tide of people. Ten tucks his head under Johnny’s chin with a smile - the foam falls around them, great streams of it, transforming the sleek and sexy club into something soft and otherworldly. 

Even the music is muffled - but maybe that’s just suds in Ten’s ears. The foam must have shorted out his ear comm, too.

There’s a pang in his chest as he unwinds from Johnny’s arms, when it’s just the two of them alone in a pale sea of foam. 

“Get to safety,” Ten says, palms flat against Johnny’s belly. When he gives Johnny a little push, he doesn’t even rock back on his feet. Showoff. “Really, I -”

“You can’t come with me,” Johnny says; it’s not quite a question.

Ten swallows. He needs to be with WayV, off-planet in _the Vision_ in less than an hour. “I’ll be missed.” 

Johnny’s gaze doesn’t falter from Ten’s face as he quirks a half-smile. “If I won’t see you again, at least give me something to remember you by.”

“Besides the name?” Ten smirks. 

“Ten, you -”

Ten kisses Johnny again, leaning up on his toes, eyes closed. It’s better than the first one - lingering, exploratory, warm. He’ll be late now, but it’s worth any lecture Ten might have to endure.

He brushes a final kiss against Johnny’s cheek as he pulls away. “To remember me by, until next time.”

“Next time?” Johnny’s eyes blink open, already amused. “Space is a big place, Ten.”

Ten turns, smiles at Johnny over his shoulder. “And I think we both know gravity when we feel it.”

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/ven_writes?s=20) | [pillowfort](https://www.pillowfort.social/venvephe)


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